A Wisconsin Man Was Wrongfully Detained and Tasered by Police. He Could Face 9 Months in Prison for Resisting Arrest

A 33-year-old from Wisconsin was mistakenly arrested by police last month. He reportedly resisted arrest and was consequently tased and apprehended. He was charged with resisting arrest. 

Sean Star could face up to nine months in prison and pay a fine of $10,000 in fines if convicted of the charge, per a criminal complaint filed Dec. 11 and obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

The incident occurred on Nov. 3 when Star and his partner Carla Jones just finished unloading couches into their new townhouse when they got back into their truck to leave the street, the couple told the outlet. 

At the same time, Brookfield Police Department officers arrived on the same street in search of a man named Christopher Bratz — a suspect in a report of physical child abuse, per the complaint. 

Officers received intel that Braatz was armed with a knife. They saw a Chevy Silverado pulling away near Braatz’s residence and thought it was Braatz, but it was Star. Nearly a minute and a half later, Star went from driving his vehicle to being taken to the ground by three officers.

Star was seen tased and handcuffed per a recording from Jones and body camera footage from the arresting officers, per evidence provided to the outlet. 

"He looks exactly like the gentleman that we're looking for," Lieutenant Karl Turek admitted to Jones in the police body camera video about 15 minutes after he was forcibly arrested. 

“If he simply would have gotten out and cooperated with us, he wouldn't be in this situation,” Turek told Jones. 

Star told the Journal Sentinel he is traumatized by the situation.

“All I did was show up to a crappy place at a crappy time,” Star told the Sentinel. “And that's what the officers want to chalk it up to, but then stand behind their actions. That to me is powerless and a shameful way to operate in the color of law."

William F. Sulton, an attorney with the Sulton Law Firm told the outlet he thinks the video captured by Jones' cellphone shows Star not resisting at all. He called the footage "disturbing and illegal behavior by the police."

"I have no idea why there's no apology to this man," Sulton added. 

Star is set to make his initial appearance in Waukesha County Court on the morning of Dec. 28, per the Sentinel. 

Jones set up a GoFundMe  "out of desperation" to cover legal fees and medical fees from Star’s emergency room visit after the incident. The family of five also wants to relocate.  

"We are very lucky (and) grateful to have such a supportive family and community, but we are not financially prepared for this whatsoever," Jones wrote in the GoFundMe description.

The couple is talking with multiple lawyers to see what their best approach would be moving forward, per the fundraising page.